Red Riding
by LittleDizzyIzzy
Summary: The true story of little red riding hood. Hunter Red Riding protects her town from the wolves that haunt the Black Forest. Love, lust, danger, betrayal, mystery and revenge.
1. Foreword

Before we start let's get one thing straight stranger. I was _not _a helpless child, I was _not _swallowed by a wolf dressed as a grandmother, I mean hello it's obvious it's not some sweet old lady when it's got fangs. My name is _not Little_ Red Riding _Hood_. It's Red Riding, those Grimm brothers didn't even get my name right, and I'm sixteen by the way not ten or whatever sweet innocent age they casted me as. Actually there are only four things right about that story.

Yes I do have a red cape with a hood.

There was a wolf.

There was an old lady.

There was some moron with an big axe there at the time. (where he found that rusty piece of junk I don't know)

The rest is completely, utterly false. The worse thing is, the wolf was not always a wolf. That is what makes this story so real ladies and gentlemen. This story has love, lust, hate, betrayal, blood, death and revenge. It isn't as easy or as simple as the fairytale. When events are so horrifying unbelievable, history is rewritten into something less horrible, more believable. That is how a fairytale is made. My story is perhaps the most dreadful of them all.

Are you ready for it?


	2. Prologue

Prologue

Moonlight cast long shadows on the forest floor just visible beneath the knee high, rolling fog that had been hanging around all day. It was silent, eerily so. I was silent with it. My booted feet made no sound on the mossy floor. My cape did not rustle or even whisper. The buckles on my knee high boots didn't click against the many silver weapons they held. Nor did the ones across my thighs, waist and arms. If not for my hood and cape my shoulders would be bare, I had long ago sliced of the armoured black leather of the shirt that clung to my chest and stomach, allowing me to move more freely and speedily. I was silent. I was part of the forest, part of the earth. Invisible the only colour my blood red cape, my white skin and my icy blue eyes. I crouched lower behind the red ferns, camouflaged. Silent, waiting. The silver pistol at my hip poked into my ribs, the silver handle of a dagger in my boot dug into my calf as I knelt. Ignoring it all I relied upon my ears and my nose rather than sight to find it. Rustling to my left, I snapped my head round to hear better. A single black curl escaped my hood. The wolf edged into the clearing before me, in full light of the moon. The coarse gray fur at its sides heaved and rolled as it panted and groaned. Clouds were crossing the sky, covering the moon. The wolf's whimper turned to human tears as the moon lost her hold upon it. The sickening sound of cracking bones enveloped the clearing free of fog. Each rib snapped folding in on itself, shrinking. Fur rippled and rolled dropping off in thick clumps revealing smooth skin beneath. Human skin. Bile rose in my throat as I watched fangs fall from gums, huge paws morphed into hands which gripped and tore at grass and mud. The muzzle of the wolf shrank achingly slowly back into the features of a face, which were quickly hidden by a mass of brown curls, skin glowing white against the dark ground in the last few flashes of moonlight. Over in seconds, then he was back, a boy again.


	3. 1 Grandma's House

"What big teeth you have, she said. 'All the better to eat you with my dear!' suddenly the wolf-" The lights suddenly flicked on and Nessa and I screamed in fright. The torch that I'd held spookily to my face, flew from my grip.

"Girls!" Mum yelled at us as we hid under the blankets. Hurling pillows at her.

"Mom, I though you was the big bad wolf." Nessa pouted accusing at her. Her strawberry curls static, peeking out from the blanket wrapped around her head.

"I'm sorry Nessa," Mum scooped her up into her arms and threw a rather large basket at me. It hit me full in the stomach my breath escaping in one big oof, making Nessa giggle."Pepper I need you to take the picnic hamper to your Grandma's house."

"But it's raining!" I pointed the now useless torch in the direction of the window.

"She needs it today Pepper."

"Again I repeat, it's raining!" I whined.

"She's going on a picnic she needs it."

"Again, it's raining!"

"It's due to stop tomorrow."

"Then I'll take it then."

"Pepper." Frustrated she gave me that look. The look that means no arguments, that I'm in one of those moods. That was how I Pepper Red Riding ended up outside in the rain, painfully early in the morning. Nessa had giggled as she watched me struggle out the door with the stupid basket. Still in her pjs with that blanket wrapped around her head she waved me off shining the torch in my face. Blinding me and causing me to fall rather than walk out the door.

"Don't break it Pepper!" Mom yelled from the kitchen.

"I'm fine too! Stupid picnic." I grumbled.

My red coat wasn't exactly waterproof, but it kept the worse off and by that I mean my hair dry. It was one of the few things I had with a hood. The rest of me was sodden. My jeans, my shoes even my bra squelched with every movement. I trudged through the forest the canopy of leaves sheltering me, my eccentric Grandma lived alone in the middle of the wood with her annoying corgis Jasper and Freddie. Why she couldn't live in town like everyone else was a mystery. Snap. Spinning towards the noise I tensed, as leaves rustled. I pushed back my hood to look around better. Tucking an auburn curl from my face, the only part of my dry. A shadow skulked through the trees. I blinked and it was gone. Damn imagination giving me the creeps I carried on faster. Once an the idea that you're not alone lodges in your head it's hard to get out. I noticed every snap, every rustle, every flicker in the corner of my eye was an unknown follower. Desperatly trying to distract myself I repeat the story I'd been telling Nessa under my breath.

"And the wolf swallowed her whole," Okay, not working I'd just creeped myself out even further. There weren't any wolves in Black Forest... were there? _Snap_. I squeled, raising the hamper high and spinning around. There was nothing there, stupid overactive imaginan suddenly something furry erupted from the ferns I screamed loudly before spotting the fluffy tail and floppy ears.

"Damn rabbit!" I yelled as it scampered away, disappearing behind a anicient stone cottage. Stomping up to the ivy framed door, I charged into the house, not bothering to knock.

"Grandma I'm here!" I yelled, shaking off the wet like one off her stupid corgis. There was no answer.

"Hey Grandma, I've got the hamper. Why do you need it now it's raining?"

Still no answer. "Grandma did you let the dogs out because I'm sure I heard them in the forest." Silence. A puddle was forming around me I took I step forward and squelched. Cringing I kicked off one shoe and sock, but struggled with the other. Basket tucked under one arm, I hopped along the hallway towards the living room tugging at my stubborn shoe. "Grandma?" Worry leaked into my voice. Four tall, muscular, dangerous looking men stared at me inside the room, all in black and all with a knife in their hand. My shoe decided to come off at that critical moment, the momentum sent me crashing to the floor. Cursing and struggling to my feet I peeked back around the door, to see them grinning running towards me. One look at the knives and I legged it. Launching the hamper and taking them out like dominoes. I sprinted back down the hallway to find my way blocked by a dripping boy. Similar to the four men chasing me, with shaggy dark hair and pale skin. Except his startling green eyes that almost stopped me in my tracks, almost but hell they were _green_. He grabbed at me, but I clobbered him with my shoe and wiggled my way past out the door. Only to trip over my other discarded shoe and tumble down the porch steps, rolling till I stopped at a pair of legs. Black boots, black jeans, black shirt, black jacket and back up to the face of the dripping boy with a growing red shoe mark on his forehead. How had he moved so fast? Innocently smiling, I kicked between the legs. He fell to his knees yelping, but grabbed my ankle as I tried to scramble away. I fought like an alley cat hitting anything and anywhere. He finally wrestled me to the floor with my arms pinned above my head and straddling my hips, eliminating use of my legs.

"Now that wasn't very nice was it."

"Get off me! Grandma's just a crazy old lady she's got nothing worth stealing, unless you like animal figurines and annoying corgi dogs!"

"Shh, now whatever made you think we wanted her stuff." He smiled.

"What the hell to you want!" The other men emerging from the house yelling congratulations. One produced a very big needle from his jacket.

"Oh hell no! No not needles, no needles." I squirmed and writhed as he jabbed it into my arm. "I'm not rich bone-heads. So there's no ransom money. My Mom's a single mother who owns a freaking grocery store, my sister's four and my only other relative is my dead Dad's mother who lives in a hut in the middle of a god damn forest... freaks..." My voice slowly drifted as a thick, paralysing wave of sleep swept over me, forcing my eyelids to close.


	4. 2 In the Woods

Chapter 2

Remember all those old movies when the bad guy grabs the girl and presses the chloroform cloth over her face? Then the girl would just gracefully faint into their arms. I always was the one with the sarcastic comments on those Hollywood characters. Now I am one of them. Let me tell you it's not as easy as it looks! While you may be yelling at the TV things like 'Fight him off!' 'Kick him in the balls!' 'Run away!' or 'Break the bastards nose!' well why don't you give it a try! Do you know how heavy they are, how strong those bad guys are? Well let me tell ya pretty damn strong, it's not easy to run away when a full grown teenage boy is sitting on you. Don't even get me started on the stuff they use to knock you out. My head is banging as if a thousand car alarms are blaring in there, my mouth feels fuzzy, I'm nauseated, my eyes are glued shut and I can't quite feel my legs. So no I'm not in the best of moods if you haven't figured that out yet. The dripping green eyed boy is gonna pay.

"How much did you give her?" Someone hissed.

"Erm... a needle full?" Another whispered back

"That's enough to knock out a freaking horse!" All silent conversation was abandoned. "Shit were damn lucky she's a Riding or she'd be dead you moron!"

"Next time you do it then!"

"I caught her while the rest of you guys got took out by a freaking picnic basket!"

"At least she didn't take us out with a tiny shoe!"

The grunts and scuffles of a fight broke out.

"Looks like she's up boys!"

Blinking slowly at the group of men surrounding a the blazing bonfire who all turned to look at me, I muttered faintly "Oh shit"

"She's kind of cute."

"Dude of course she is she's a Riding."

"Too bad her hair won't stay that ginger colour."

"It's brown dumbass"

"Ginger."

"Brown."

"Ginger."

"Brown."

"Will you two knock it off!"

"Sorry chief... say chief... would you say it's ginger or brown?"

"Shut the hell up. Adam go watch out for Lady."

"Yes sir." With that one shadow left the bonfire and headed into the trees. The orange flame disappeared as one guy crouched before me.

"How do you feel?" My blurry vision suddenly cleared to reveal Green Eyes. I lunged, punching him in the nose before two pairs of hands grabbed me.

"I don't think she likes you much Seth." The others guffawed. "She's definitely a Riding." Were they all insane?

"Let me go!" I screamed.

"Calm down, we aren't going to hurt you."

"Then let me go!"

"No can do till out Lady boss talks to you."

"Who?" I continued to struggle as I regained some strength and I was no longer seeing double.

"Me." A woman stepped around a pissed bloody nosed Seth. A woman who I knew only too well. Who now looked gravely at me."

"Grandma?"


	5. 3 Crash Course in Reality

"What the hell Grandma?"

"Language." Grandma frowned perching herself on a stool someone placed before her. She was also dressed all in black with a ancient revolver at her hip.

"My Grandma is a ninja." I said, addressing no one in particular, staring into the bonfire past Grandma's shoulder.

"Pepper." She paused biting her lip, sorry looking. Well I wasn't going to pity her obvious guilt. Crazy crack lady.

"I guess no one else can say 'Hey my Grandma kidnapped me' makes me feel so special" The flames flickered, I believe in agreement. Oh god now I was going crazy.

"I needed to talk to you urgently."

"Obviously over a cup of tea wouldn't do. It's not like I was already coming to see my Grandmother with a freaking basket in the rain. Oh no that would have to bloody normal! We couldn't just sit around the kitchen table eating cake, where no one would have waved a knife or syringe at me. It's obvious that I had to be chased, drugged with enough sedative to knock out a bloody horse apparently, and finally kidnapped to a weird cult camp in the middle of the forest. Where a seriously hope you are _not_ going to dance naked around the freaking bonfire or are you going to kill a pig in your boring all black uniform? Hmmm? Not interested so get the hell off me because I'd like to go home! Sorry Grandma I don't do crazy!"

"Pepper Riding!" Grandma snapped, finally interrupting me. She glared at Adam I think, who'd started to guffaw. "I realise this is not conventional and that you're angry but calm down now. Pepper? Pepper! Would you stop staring at the fire! Do you remember the story of Little Red Riding Hood?"

"Are kidding me?"

"Well this is the real story my dear not that crap those Brothers Grimm or any others wrote. Those bloody Grimm Brothers followed me for six months and how did they write my story? A child who gets eaten by a wolf in a nightgown? Oh please." For a moment there Grandma sounded, well like me.

"I know your ancient Grandma but not that old." It's official she's insane.

"Less of the cheek Pepper and listen, or I'll get Seth to gag you." Seth grinned at me, nose no longer bleeding. "Many, many years ago-"

"Aren't you supposed to start, Once upon a time?" I interrupted.

"That's it, Seth gag her."

"Oh hell no." I swore, Seth waved the bloody rag he'd mopped his nose with at me.

"This do, Boss?" Okay he was kinda cute despite being a jerk, a criminal, kidnapping jerk. I wouldn't hit his face next time it was too pretty besides I'd probably cut my fist on those cheek bones. He sauntered over. Just a little closer, that was all I needed.

"You are not putting that anywhere near my face!" Ewww.

"Well you shouldn't have punched me in the face! Oh sweet revenge." He crouched before me, yes! I lunged, kicking him in the stomach, hands loosened on my in surprise. Swinging my whole body around I knocking over the two holding me down all before Grandma could get of her stool. I ran. Nine meters, ten meters, I was going to make it all thanks to fourteen years of martial arts. Goodbye bonfire, bye crazy Grandma, bye Green Eyes. Then that jerk blind-sided me.

"We are trying to help you if you'd just listen." He flipped me onto my back, his face inches from mine and a strange look passed over his face. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by a terrifying, blood curdling howl.

"Wolves!" Someone yelled. Swearing Seth pulled me to my feet, and a gun from his pocket. Aiming it at one of a dozen freaking big ass wolves emerging from the trees. Towards us. Towards me. Their eyes yellow and starving.

"Crash course Red," Seth pushed me behind him. "Those wolves are werewolves, not nice Twilight ones. Eating young maiden style wolves."

"Shit."

"They've been following you for two days, we had to extract you quickly and get you to a safe location discreetly. Since you've been having a hissy fit and putting a hell of fight up it's not been so discreet."

"I was grabbed by strange men was I supposed to just go along quietly? Not importatn, why've they been following me?" Grandma motioned at Seth to go, all the others gathered with her forming a barrier between us and the wolves and started to fire. Seth grabbed my hand and we ran into the trees.

"Wait Grandma!"

"She'll be fine she can hold her own. You're family is special. You're ancestor was the first Red Riding and formed the Huntsmen, that's us. We kill wolves, the bad guys...animal, monsters? Anyway wolves only need a small amount of moonlight to change but on full moons they kidnap teenage girls."

"Oh god." We dodged trees the sound of gunfire, screaming and howls getting fainter and fainter behind us.

"Is that why they've been following me? But it's not a full moon yet."

"If a wolf drinks the blood of a Riding girl he will be able to change to wolf form on will. If he eats her flesh he will gain the ability to turn humans to wolf with a single bite."

"Can't they do that anyway?"

"Um no, that's what the teenage girls are for."

"Ewww, that's disgusting."

"I'm not finished, if he marries her he and his pack will be able to do both and will live as long as the Riding blood line continues so forever. The bloodline has to continue. To keep the Huntsmen going. No Riding, no Huntsmen, no one to defend everyone against the wolves."

"Oh god, Nessa? Will she be safe?"

"Yeah, she's only your half sister, and it can only work if they catch Riding girl when she's sixteen and just before her change."

"Wait what!" I pulled him to a sudden stop. "Nessa is only my half sister? And what change?"

"We don't have time to stop, we need to move." He said exasperated, pulling me into a run again. " Okay tell me what you think your family is."

"Nessa is my full sister. My Dad is Grandma's son, he died just after Nessa was born. My-"

"Your Mum is actually your step-mother and Nessa's mother. Your real mother is your Grandmother's child. Your step-mother works for the Grandma that's how your father met her."

"Shit. You realise my world is collapsing around me right now."

"I'm sorry but it gets worse."

"How can all this possibly get worse," I was panting heavily but it takes a lot to shut me up. "My whole life has been a lie. I have neither of my blood parents alive. My Grandma is a ninja wolf killer a family job apparently. I'm being chased by werewolf guys who either want to eat me, drink my blood and marry me. This is so messed up! Like some bad movie!"

"I know."

"What is the change?" I asked again. We finally broke the trees and into town.

"I know place we can hide." We turned left on the main street, then right and left again slowing outside a house a clone of its neighbours all down the street. White washed buildings only this house. Number 8. Had a scarlett red door the key to which Seth recovered from beneath a plant pot holding a withered plant.

"Seth? What's the change?" I repeated, panic leaking into my voice.

"Hang on Red. You're shaking." Seth led me to a couch and forced me to sit. He crouched before me worry forming creases in his brow. Looking into my eyes, he felt my forehead and checked my pulse. I was shivering uncontrollably it was all I could do not to burst into hysterical tears.

"Seth," I repeated strained. "What change?"

"The Riding lineage is more than a job. The change is when the first female child is ready to take over. The knowledge, skills and memories of the first Red Riding and all her descendants flow into her. Her hair turns black as ebony, her skin white as snow and her lips red as blood."

"That's Snow White."

"Riding inspired a lot of Fairytales. She knows how to fight, how to kill instinctively. Her senses are heightened, she runs, climbs, is faster. Your Grandmother has been leader longer than she should have because of your mother's death. When the first female child comes of age, sixteen the transformation would only be triggered when the current Red Riding was close to death."

"Grandma is dying." I gasped regretting everything I had said instantly.

"No she isn't yet. Her death must be in the next few months or the wolves wouldn't be able to smell the change hovering over you. They can only... um... get what they want on full moon before you change, they can sense when it is the right time."

"Seth?"

"I'm sorry I've had to tell you all this so quickly but-"

"-Seth?" I interrupted. "Would you catch me please." As I toppled forward and fainted.


	6. 4 I've Decided

Within the space of 24 hours I have passed out twice. I don't think my poor brain could take much more.

I refused to open my eyes until I was ready to face the world again. If I have this strange story right the woman who I have believed to be my mother for sixteen years is in fact by stepmother who works for my Grandmother. My Grandmother is charge of a group called the Huntsmen who defend regular people from werewolves. Werewolves who kidnap human brides on a full moon. These same wolves are after me because I'm part of some hocus pocus oh so special bloodline called the Ridings, mortal enemies of the wolves. Yet I am now the key to them gaining abilities that they really really want. They either want to eat me, drink my blood or marry me... shit. If that wasn't already bad enough my mother probably died un-naturally and my Grandmother had a few months maximum left. I don't even know my real mother's name.

Oh God! Please God if you are there, please let it all be a dream. Give me my old life back. I want to keep teaching my sister how to read. I want my Mom the be my real Mom not my stepmother. I want my home. I want my boring life back. Please God I'll study hard, I'll never complain when I have to work in Mom's shop on the weekends. I'll do my chores and stop punching people I swear it. Please just let it all be a dream.

One... two... three. I opened my eyes to see Seth staring down at me inches from my face. I screamed in shock lashing out, my fist connecting with his jaw. Guess it all wasn't a dream then. Damn.

"Why were you so close to my face pervert!"

"Would you stop hitting me!" Seth yelled back rubbing his face. "You were muttering in your sleep."

"Oh God it wasn't a dream? I'm really been chased by werewolves who want to eat me or marry me?"

"Yup."

I dropped my face into my hands and groaned. It all sounded like a really bad horror movie all that was missing was the bleeding-

The suddenly door burst open with a loud bang, four men ran in battered, bruised and bleeding with a fifth guy supported between them. There was so much blood. Oh God.

"Who is it?" Calm and in full control of himself Seth helped them lift the fifth guy onto the table. Oh God the guys face! It's so hard for me to describe to you properly how... how... wrong it looked. His face was raked with deep gashes blood coated every inch of his face I could... I could see through his cheek and see his gleaming white molars. His face wasn't a face anymore. One leg was broken possibly a dislocated shoulder too, fingers missing. Only is blonde curls were untouched. Was it Adam? Oh please don't be Adam the bumbling idiot who gave me enough drugs to knock out a horse. The only guy not so serious as the others, the one who laughed so loud. I felt bad for my behaviour earlier. This guy had defended me and my Grandmother and lay bleeding for it.

"It's Lee." One of them muttered. Lee moaned in pain as they cut away his shirt revealing more deep gashes.

"What the hell happened Michael?" Seth snapped tense.

"He got cornered by six of _them_. We got him out but we need Doc."

"Move!" I snapped shoving Michael out of the way.

"Red? What are you-"

"I may be only sixteen but my Grandma's day job used to be a Doctor and she trained me. I guess for situations like this."

"But-"

"Would you rather wait for this Doc guy or help him as much as we can now." I argued, they all nodded in reply. "Go get whatever first aid stuff we have here and plenty of hot water." They snapped to it straight away leaving me alone with Lee. I turned back to him and saw his watchful eyes staring. Green, they all had green eyes. I squeezed his hand for a moment before removing the remains of his shirt completely.

"Thank you." He whispered hoarse.

"Wait until I'm finished before you thank me." I replied softly.

Fortunately despite the amount of blood, his wounds did not appear critical. He would survive I wouldn't let him have the choice not too.

They had more than your regular first aid stuff here. First I gave him some morphine as I'd been shown and started the guys cleaning up the blood. I stitched up the worst of the claw marks as best as I could before focusing on his face. I was way out of my league so I decided to fix his dislocated shoulder first. Hopefully 'Doc' would be here soon.

"Seth do you know how to push his shoulder back in?" He grunted in affirmation. Ripping up a towel I got Lee to bite down on the wad of fabric it was all I could find. Unlike the movies there is not always some random piece of wood lying around. Anyway the four Huntsmen held him down as Seth in one smooth jolt fixed Lee's shoulder. There was an awful click and a scream of pain as Lee jerked before flopping back onto the table panting. I didn't even know where to start on his face. Pausing for a moment I considered what to do, before my hands suddenly started moving on their own.

"Woah woah WOAH! Seth what's happening!" With more skill than I'd have thought capable my hands began to repair Lee's face.

"It's the Riding inheritance you're channelling your ancestors skills. Perhaps its Lady Red you're channelling as you said she's a doctor."

"I'm channelling my Grandma!? That is so weird." Helpless I watched my hands work in awe they were kind of glowing slightly and eerie blue glow. Within five minutes it was done and Lee was asleep. The blue glow disappeared and my hands dropped to my sides after not only fixing his face but checking my previous work. The four guys Leon, Michael, Finn and Connor lifted the comatose Lee into one of the many bedrooms. As soon as they left I staggered exhausted falling into Seth's arms and embarrassingly I started to cry.

Okay just so my pride isn't injured too much let me make it clear that I don't cry. Ever. So when I started then I did so silently, my face smooth unsure of how I was supposed to cry. Only the one tear that fell gave any indication how I was feeling. At first Seth didn't notice but when he did he gripped my arms tight and pulled me to my feet.

"Hey look at me. It's going to be okay." He forced me to look into his eyes. Damn he had pretty eyes. I moved away as he attempted to brush away my single lonely tear.

"You don't know that. You can't say for sure." I looked at my feet before squaring my shoulders determined. "I promise I will help you guys. To protect my town to protect my country because that's what I'm supposed to do right?" Seth didn't reply he merely nodded. "I can't just let people like Lee get hurt and standby it's not my way. I'm the girl who got expelled because she punched the girl who bullied the younger kids. I don't run away." I looked up at him then. "I won't let those... those _monsters _hurt anyone! I swear." A strange almost pained look passed over Seth's face then but before I could question him Adam burst through the door followed by Grandma. A very very angry stony- faced Grandma.


End file.
